Sanctioned Wallet Address Checker
Check if Wallet Address is Sanctioned
Enter a Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tron wallet address to verify if it's on OFAC's sanctions list. This tool checks against addresses published in U.S. Treasury sanctions.
Iranian users trying to access global cryptocurrency exchanges face a wall built not of code, but of legal restrictions. Since 2015, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has targeted Iranian individuals and networks using digital assets to bypass financial sanctions. This isn’t about blocking Bitcoin in general-it’s about stopping specific people, groups, and transactions tied to Iran’s military and intelligence apparatus. And the tools they’re using are more precise than ever.
How OFAC Targets Crypto Transactions
OFAC doesn’t just say "Iranians can’t trade crypto." It names names-and addresses. On November 28, 2018, they made history by publishing the exact Bitcoin wallet addresses linked to Iranian actors behind the SamSam ransomware attacks. These weren’t vague warnings. They were digital fingerprints: public, traceable, and actionable. Every exchange that follows U.S. law now checks those addresses before allowing deposits or withdrawals.
Since then, OFAC has expanded this tactic. In September 2025, they sanctioned five specific cryptocurrency wallets tied to Arash Estaki Alivand, a key figure in a $600 million shadow banking network. Two were Ethereum addresses: 0xe3d35f68383732649669aa990832e017340dbca5 and 0x532b77b33a040587e9fd1800088225f99b8b0e8a. Three were Tron addresses: TYDUutYN4YLKUPeT7TG27Yyqw6kNVLq9QZ, TRakpsE1mZjCUMNPyozR4BW2ZtJsF7ZWFN, and TQ5H49Wz3K57zNHmuXVp6uLzFwitxviABs. These aren’t random strings. They’re live targets. If you send money to any of these, your transaction gets flagged, frozen, or blocked.
Exchanges That Got Fined for Ignoring the Rules
ShapeShift AG learned the hard way what happens when you don’t screen users. In September 2025, the exchange agreed to pay $750,000 to settle charges for letting users from Iran, Cuba, Sudan, and Syria trade over $12.5 million in crypto. ShapeShift wasn’t trying to break the law-it just didn’t have strong enough filters. That’s enough for OFAC to treat it as a violation.
Today, any major exchange operating in or serving U.S. markets must screen every wallet address against OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. That means if you’re in Iran, even if you use a VPN, your wallet might be flagged before you even log in. Most platforms now geo-block Iranian IP addresses outright. Some require government-issued ID-something most Iranians can’t legally provide under U.S. sanctions.
The Rise of Sanctions-Evasion Exchanges
When Garantex was shut down in March 2025 by the U.S. Secret Service, its operators didn’t disappear. They built a new exchange: Grinex. Within days, they moved customer funds over and started advertising it as "the replacement for Garantex." Their website even said so in plain text.
Grinex didn’t just copy Garantex’s tech-it copied its business model. It let users regain access by swapping their old balances for a new token called A7A5, which was backed by Russian rubles and issued by a company in Kyrgyzstan. This wasn’t just clever. It was designed to dodge sanctions by using a third-country currency and a jurisdiction with weak oversight.
Grinex has processed billions in transactions since its launch. But OFAC designated it in April 2025. That means any exchange that interacts with Grinex’s wallet addresses now risks legal penalties. The cycle continues: shut one down, another pops up. But each time, the net gets tighter.
How Iranian Users Are Adapting
Most Iranian crypto users aren’t giving up-they’re switching tactics. Many have moved to peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms like LocalBitcoins or Paxful, where buyers and sellers connect directly. These platforms don’t always check IDs or wallet addresses, making them harder for regulators to control.
Others use decentralized exchanges (DEXs) like Uniswap or PancakeSwap, where there’s no central company to shut down. You don’t need to sign up. You just connect your wallet and swap tokens. But here’s the catch: even DEXs can be risky. If your wallet has ever interacted with a sanctioned address, future transactions might be traced back to you.
Some are turning to privacy coins like Monero or Zcash. These are designed to hide sender, receiver, and amount. That makes them harder for blockchain analysts to track. But they’re also harder to trade, less liquid, and often come with higher fees. And exchanges that support them are increasingly under scrutiny.
The Bigger Picture: Oil Money, Front Companies, and Global Networks
The real target isn’t everyday Iranian traders. It’s the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Iran’s Ministry of Defense. The $600 million network OFAC dismantled in September 2025 wasn’t run by hobbyists. It used shell companies in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Shenzhen to buy military tech and launder oil profits through crypto.
One company, Shenzhen Jiasibo Technology Co., shipped drone parts labeled as "industrial sensors." Another, Alpha Trading Co. in Hong Kong, acted as the financial hub. Blue Sky General Trading LLC in Dubai received payments disguised as "import-export transactions." All of it was tied to crypto wallets now on OFAC’s list.
This isn’t just about crypto. It’s about how Iran uses digital assets as a bridge between its sanctioned economy and the global financial system. And OFAC is using blockchain data to follow the money-down to the last satoshi.
What This Means for You
If you’re in Iran and want to buy Bitcoin, you can still do it. But you won’t find it on Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken. You’ll need to use P2P, DEXs, or unregulated platforms-and accept the risks. Higher fees. Slower trades. Less security. And the constant threat that your wallet could be frozen if it ever touched a sanctioned address.
For exchanges outside the U.S., the pressure is growing. Even if you’re based in Turkey or Nigeria, if you serve U.S. customers or use U.S. banking services, you’re still bound by OFAC rules. Many have started requiring proof of non-Iranian residency just to open an account.
There’s no legal way for Iranian users to access major exchanges without violating sanctions. The system is designed that way. The question isn’t whether it’s fair-it’s whether it works. And so far, it’s working. Billions in illicit flows have been blocked. Networks have been exposed. Exchanges have been shut down.
But the cat-and-mouse game isn’t over. As blockchain analytics get smarter, so do the evasion tactics. AI is now being used to detect patterns in transaction clusters. Privacy coins are improving. New jurisdictions are emerging as crypto havens.
For now, the message is clear: if you’re on OFAC’s list, your crypto transactions are public. And if you’re helping someone who is, you’re risking everything.
Can Iranian citizens legally use cryptocurrency exchanges?
Iranian citizens cannot legally use most international cryptocurrency exchanges because OFAC sanctions block transactions involving Iranian individuals and entities. Major exchanges like Coinbase and Binance geo-block Iranian IPs and screen wallet addresses against OFAC’s SDN list. While peer-to-peer platforms and decentralized exchanges offer access, they carry higher risks and may still trigger sanctions if linked to sanctioned addresses.
What happens if I send crypto to a sanctioned wallet address?
If you send crypto to a wallet on OFAC’s sanctions list, your transaction will likely be flagged, frozen, or reversed by compliant exchanges and wallet providers. Even if you didn’t know the address was sanctioned, you can still face legal consequences if you’re found to have knowingly or negligently interacted with a blocked entity. Blockchain analytics firms can trace these transactions back to you, especially if you use the same wallet repeatedly.
Are privacy coins like Monero safe from OFAC sanctions?
Privacy coins like Monero are harder to trace, which makes them attractive for sanctions evasion. But they’re not immune. OFAC can still sanction the addresses used to acquire or trade them. Exchanges that list privacy coins are under increasing pressure to cut ties with them. Using Monero doesn’t make you invisible-it just makes detection harder, not impossible. Law enforcement is already developing tools to analyze patterns around privacy coin usage.
Why do Iranian crypto networks use front companies in Dubai and Hong Kong?
Dubai and Hong Kong are global financial hubs with strong trade links to Iran and relatively weaker enforcement of U.S. sanctions compared to the U.S. or EU. Iranian networks use shell companies there to disguise the origin of funds, buy dual-use tech, and move crypto profits into traditional banking systems. These locations act as intermediaries, making it harder for regulators to trace the money back to Iran’s military entities.
Can a new crypto exchange avoid OFAC sanctions by operating outside the U.S.?
Operating outside the U.S. doesn’t guarantee immunity. If an exchange serves U.S. customers, uses U.S.-based banking services, or interacts with U.S. financial institutions, it’s still subject to OFAC rules. The Grinex case shows that even exchanges based in Kyrgyzstan were sanctioned because they facilitated transactions tied to U.S.-designated entities. OFAC can freeze assets anywhere in the world if they’re connected to the U.S. financial system.
Brian Gillespie
November 12, 2025 AT 18:54This is wild. I had no idea OFAC was tracking wallet addresses like this.
Ainsley Ross
November 13, 2025 AT 16:40It's fascinating how blockchain transparency is being weaponized for geopolitical control. The precision of OFAC’s targeting-down to individual satoshis-is both impressive and chilling. I respect the intent to stop illicit funding, but the collateral damage to ordinary Iranians trying to access basic financial tools is profound. This isn't just about sanctions; it's about digital exclusion on a global scale. We're creating a two-tiered internet economy where some are locked out by algorithmic borders.
And yet, I can't help but wonder: if we truly believe in decentralization, shouldn't the tech be neutral? Or are we just outsourcing state power to private exchanges?
Wayne Dave Arceo
November 14, 2025 AT 11:11Let’s be clear: Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Their IRGC-QF uses crypto to fund murder and destabilize the Middle East. Any Iranian citizen using crypto is either complicit or willfully ignorant. The fact that you’re even debating whether this is ‘fair’ shows how out of touch you are with reality. OFAC isn’t the problem-the Iranian regime is. And anyone who thinks otherwise is either naive or sympathetic to terrorists.
Arthur Crone
November 15, 2025 AT 23:09Grinex is a joke. A third-party currency backed by rubles from Kyrgyzstan? Please. The entire model is a dumpster fire of compliance risk. And don’t even get me started on the fact that they’re using A7A5 tokens as a laundering vehicle. That’s not innovation-that’s a felony waiting to happen. The only thing worse than the sanctions is the people trying to circumvent them with clown logic.
Michael Heitzer
November 16, 2025 AT 06:29There’s a deeper truth here: technology doesn’t care about borders-but humans do. We built crypto to be free, open, and permissionless. Now we’ve handed over its keys to governments who use it to punish entire populations. The irony is thick enough to spread on toast. Yes, the IRGC is evil. But so is the idea that every Iranian adult should be treated like a criminal because of their passport. This isn’t justice. It’s digital apartheid.
And yet-there’s hope. P2P platforms, DEXs, privacy coins-they’re the quiet resistance. People are still finding ways to connect, to trade, to survive. Maybe the system is rigid, but human ingenuity? That’s unstoppable.
Rebecca Saffle
November 16, 2025 AT 20:15OFAC is doing God’s work. Iran is a rogue state and they deserve every ounce of economic strangulation they get. No sympathy for the regime’s enablers-whether they’re in Tehran or Tehran’s crypto wallet. If you’re Iranian and using crypto, you’re part of the problem. Period. End of story. No more ‘but what about the people’ nonsense. The people voted for this regime. Now they live with the consequences.
Adrian Bailey
November 17, 2025 AT 21:04ok so like i read this whole thing and honestly my brain is kinda melted but also kinda impressed?? like the part about the shenzhen company shipping drone parts as ‘industrial sensors’? that’s wild. and the fact that they’re using tron and ethereum addresses like literal bullet points in a criminal indictment?? that’s next level. i didn’t realize crypto was this… documented?? like, imagine your bank account getting flagged because you once sent 0.003 eth to a wallet that someone else used for ransomware. that’s terrifying. also i just looked up Grinex and their website literally says ‘replacement for Garantex’-that’s not sneaky, that’s a middle finger to regulators. i don’t know if i’m impressed or horrified. probably both.
Rachel Everson
November 19, 2025 AT 20:29If you’re Iranian and trying to buy Bitcoin to protect your savings from inflation, you’re not a terrorist-you’re just trying to survive. The system is punishing the wrong people. Yes, the IRGC abuses crypto. But so do criminals everywhere. We don’t ban all cash because of money launderers. We go after the bad actors. Why not do the same here? Instead, we’re locking out millions of ordinary people who have no access to traditional banking. That’s not smart policy. That’s cruelty dressed up as enforcement.